Hot on Heels of $16 Million Move, Denny Hamlin Snubs Joe Gibbs for Michael Jordan

Denny Hamlin has spent a significant part of his career working for Joe Gibbs Racing. However, after giving his blood, sweat, and tears to the team for so long, Hamlin does happen to have some other projects in store.

The ‘project’ in question is one of the youngest Cup teams, 23XI Racing, a brainchild of Denny Hamlin and NBA star Michael Jordan, founded in 2020. Since then, the team has come a long way, with both of their current drivers making it into the playoffs last year. As Hamlin and Jordan worked through the nitty-gritty of putting up a good racing team, they faced some constraints. One was the technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing.

Crew members and equipment had to be borrowed from JGR to help out 23XI. But this scenario is soon to flip, as both Hamlin and Jordan invested a whopping $16 million on Airspeed, a stylish new facility for 23XI. This is a starting point for the team to have its own crew and equipment. And just as the facility is starting to come alive this season, Hamlin amusingly chose his co-owner over his team boss.

The JGR driver is known to be a man of candor. This brutal honesty is also evident whenever he talks about his own team owner, Joe Gibbs, as was in a recent conversation with Kevin Harvick. Hamlin was asked a tricky question that, if any other driver had been in his shoes, they probably wouldn’t have dared to answer. But we all know how Hamlin functions.

Just before ending the interview with the JGR driver, Harvick posed a dramatic question. He asked, “Michael Jordan [and] Joe Gibbs call at the same time. Which one do you answer first?” To this, Denny Hamlin put on a knowing smile and answered, “Michael Jordan.”

Since 23XI’s inception, Denny Hamlin has juggled his time between JGR and his team. But at some point, Hamlin will shift his focus to his team. He’s definitely alluded to it. In an interview with Sports Business Journal, Hamlin revealed that he would like to drive for 23XI one day, but the question of it being on a full-time basis is still something he’s pondering. But there’s one thing that’s clear: If he does switch from JGR to 23XI, it’ll only be if he’s confident that his and Jordan’s team would be as competitive as JGR.

Despite saying this, he has complete confidence in his team. The JGR driver added, “I’m slowly but surely starting to believe that 23XI is an equal to the position I’m in right now.” Considering Joe Gibbs’ stable is the only Cup team he’s driven for in his career, the thought of Denny Hamlin leaving wouldn’t be the easiest thing to digest. However, it’s important to note that the three-time Daytona 500 winner signed a multi-year extension with JGR last season.

In an appearance on Hamlin’s Actions Detrimental podcast, Joe Gibbs said that his star driver’s decision to stay  “really helps us because it solidifies where we’re going for the next several years to come.” In light of this, Hamlin’s switch to 23XI may not come for a few more years. But it is almost bound to happen. That said, Denny Hamlin continues to acknowledge Joe Gibbs’ contribution to his growth as a racer and a team leader.

Denny Hamlin credits Joe Gibbs for his charismatic personality

The 23XI Racing team was recently awarded a spot on Sports Business Journal’s prestigious “Best Places to Work in Sports 2023” list. The racers know very well about Hamlin’s contribution to this achievement. Tyler Reddick recently said, “Yeah, he’s always sitting in the meetings, always giving his feedback on me or Bubba’s day.” Meanwhile, Hamlin credits his master’s guidance for helping him become the leader he is today.

“I’m going to be hands-on, I’ve seen the success my boss has had and how hard he works at it to be successful. I want to be the guy that’s at the shop – just like Joe is – at 8 in the morning, calling sponsors, calling manufacturers, walking down and talking to employees, and trying to figure out how we can make our race cars go faster.”

As Denny Hamlin leads 23XI through a star-studded journey, we may expect his drivers to become championship contenders.

Read More: Denny Hamlin in Disagreements With Joe Gibbs Racing Over His Changed Ways After 19 Years